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Tanaka, Drew, Yankees top Scherzer, Nats for 7th win in row

Tanaka, Drew, Yankees top Scherzer, Nats for 7th win in row

Tanaka, Drew, Yankees top Scherzer, Nats for 7th win in row

BEN WALKER

Jun. 10, 2015

https://www.apnews.com/c87fce45ab94484b8cba56cb72062328

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NEW YORK (AP) — Masahiro Tanaka outpitched Max Scherzer, Stephen Drew hit two solo home runs and the New York Yankees beat the Washington Nationals 6-1 Tuesday night for their seventh straight victory.

A two-out throwing error by shortstop Ian Desmond in the seventh inning broke a 1-all tie. New York went on to match its longest winning streak since 2012.

Bryce Harper hit his 20th home run for the Nationals, who have lost nine of 11. Washington fell in its first trip to Yankee Stadium since 2009.

Tanaka (4-1) gave up one run and five hits in seven innings, walking none and striking out six. No one on the Nationals had ever batted against him and it showed with several timid, late swings.

Tanaka made his second start since wrist and forearm ailments put him on the disabled list. No ill effects, apparently.

Scherzer (6-5) kept pace with Tanaka until the seventh.

With two outs and runners on first and second, Alex Rodriguez hit a hard grounder in the hole and Desmond made a dive to stop it. Desmond threw from one knee, trying to get a forceout at third, but the toss hit runner Ramon Flores as he neared the bag.

The ball caromed into the dugout for a run on the fielder's choice. Reliever Matt Thornton gave up a two-run single to Brian McCann and an RBI single to Carlos Beltran.

Drew began the day batting .168. His homer in the third marked his 1,000th career hit, and he homered again in the eighth. He has four multihomer games lifetime, and also had one Friday night.

Harper homered in his first game at Yankee Stadium, hitting a tying drive to center field in the fourth. The shot landed near Monument Park — before batting practice, Harper toured the area, checking out the plaques and tributes to Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth and other Yankees greats.

Harper had swung at the ballpark once before, during a pre-draft showcase when he was a teen. Leading off the seventh with the score tied, Harper switched up his strategy and tried to bunt on a 1-2 pitch, but fouled it off for strike three.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Nationals: CF Denard Span was a late scratch because of back spasms. He exited early Sunday, tried to get loose before this game and was pulled from the lineup. ... RHP Stephen Strasburg (neck tightness) threw a bullpen session earlier in the day. If he's OK, he'll pitch live batting practice later this week in Milwaukee. ... RHP Doug Fister (forearm tightness) will next throw in a rehab game for Double-A Harrisburg as he builds up his pitch count.

Yankees: OF Jacoby Ellsbury, out since May 20 because of a sprained right knee, is making progress, manager Joe Girardi said. But it's too early to look at a return date.

UP NEXT

Nationals: LHP Gio Gonzalez is 1-5 with a 7.30 ERA in seven career starts vs. the Yankees. He'll pitch Tuesday night against Nathan Eovaldi — they matched up May 19 in Washington and both were hit hard.

Yankees: Eovaldi (5-1, 4.16) is 0-4 in 11 career interleague starts. Harper and Desmond homered off him last month when the right-hander gave up five runs in 4 1/3 innings.